Grease composition

Abstract

The invention is an improved grease composition comprising a major proportion of a grease, a hydroxy-containing soap thickener and a minor amount of a compound prepared by reacting a boron compound with an organic compound containing oxygen, sulfur and/or nitrogen or mixtures thereof.

We claim: 
     
       1. An improved grease composition comprising a major proportion of a lubricating component and containing a minor amount consisting of: (a) a borated derivative of an organic compound;   (b) an alkali or alkaline earth metal or amine derivative of a hydroxy-containing or polyhydroxy-containing soap thickener; said borated organic compound and said hydroxy-containing thickener each being present in an amount sufficient to increase the dropping point over the dropping point of a grease without said borated organic compound.   
     
     
       2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said borated derivative is present in said grease composition in an amount of between about 0.2 and about 10 percent by weight. 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the total amount of thickener added is between about 3 and about 20 percent by weight of the total composition. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the thickener contains at least 15 percent by weight of hydroxy-containing thickener. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from lithium or calcium. 
     
     
       6. The composition of claim 5 wherein said hydroxy-containing soap thickener is lithium or calcium hydroxystearate. 
     
     
       7. The composition of claim 5 wherein said hydroxy-containing soap thickener is calcium hydroxysterate. 
     
     
       8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an alkoxylated alcohol of the formula   (RO)(R.sup.1 O).sub.x H     wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group or a mixture of hydrocarbyl groups, containing form 1 to 50 carbon atoms, R 1  is a C 2  to C 4  hydrocarbylene group and x is from 1 to 7 with a boron compound.   
     
     
       9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an alcohol of the formula   R.sup.2 OH     wherein R 2  is a hydrocarbyl group, or mixture thereof, containing from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, with a boron compound.   
     
     
       10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting a diol of the formula   R.sup.3 (OH).sub.2     wherein R 3  is a hydrocarbyl group containing from 2 to 30 carbon atoms with a boron compound.   
     
     
       11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an amine of the formula ##STR13## wherein x is 0 to 2, R 4 , R 5 , R 7  and R 8  are hydrogen or hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl groups containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms, a polyalkoxylated group containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms or the latter group containing sulfur or additional oxygen, at least one of R 4 , R 5 , R 7  and R 8  being a non-hydrogen group and R 6  is a C 2  to C 4  alkylene group, with a boron compound. 
     
     
       12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an ester of the formula   R.sup.9 (COOR.sup.10).sub.n     wherein n is 1 to 5 and R 9  and R 10  are hydrocarbyl or hydroxyhydrocarbyl groups containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, at least one of R 9  and R 10  being a hydroxyhydrocarbyl group with a boron compound.   
     
     
       13. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an oxazoline of the generalized structure ##STR14## where R 11  is a hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbylene group of one to fifty carbon atoms, at least one of R 12  or R 13  is hydrogen and the other is hydrogen or has the generalized structure ##STR15## where R 14  is a hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group of one to fifty carbon atoms with a boron compound. 
     
     
       14. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an oxazoline of the generalized structure ##STR16## where R 17  is a hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbylene group of one to fifty carbon atoms, at least one of R 15  or R 16  is hydrogen and the other is hydrogen or has the generalized structure ##STR17## where R 18  is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group of one to fifty carbon atoms with a boron compound. 
     
     
       15. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an amine with an aldehyde and a phenol or mercaptan and subsequently reacting the resulting product with a boron compound, the hydroxy-containing thickener and borated amine condensation product being present in sufficient quantities to effect an increase in the dropping point of said grease. 
     
     
       16. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting an hydroxyl-containing amide having the structural formula: ##STR18## wherein R 19  is a hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 60 carbon atoms and can additionally contain sulfur, oxygen and/or nitrogen; R 20  and R 21  are each a hydrocarbylene group or a mixture of hydrocarbylene groups of 2 to 6 carbon atoms;   x is 0 to 15, and   y is 0 to 15, provided that x+y equals least 1 with a boron compound.   
     
     
       17. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is the reaction product made by reacting a catechol compound having the structure: ##STR19## where R 22  and R 23  are each hydrogen or a C 1  -C 40  hydrocarbyl radical and R 24  is (1) a C 1  -C 40  hydrocarbyl radical which can contain additionally oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur or boron;   (2) an NR 25  group where R 25  is a C 1  -C 40  hydrocarbyl group which can contain additionally oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atoms;   (3) an OR 26  group where R 26  is a C 1  -C 40  hydrocarbyl group which can contain additionally oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atoms; or   (4) an OR 25  group where R 25  is boron, or a catechol, ester or hydroxyl-containing moiety and can contain additionally oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur or boron with a boron compound.   
     
     
       18. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative additionally contains oxygen, sulfur, and/or nitrogen or mixtures thereof which is reaction with a borating agent. 
     
     
       19. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative of an organic compound contains additionally any of the elements of the Periodic Table of the Elements, except zinc. 
     
     
       20. The composition of claim 1 wherein the borated derivative is a polymeric organic borate. 
     
     
       21. The composition of claim 7 wherein hydrocarbyl is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkaryl alkenyl and alkyl or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       22. The composition of claim 19 wherein the borated derivative of an organic compound contains additionally phosphorus. 
     
     
       23. A method for elevating the dropping point of a grease composition comprising incorporating into said grease product an organic boron compound, and an alkali for alkaline earth metal or amine derivative of a hydroxy-containing or polyhydroxy-containing soap thickener. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23 wherein the grease product is comprised of a synthetic oil selected from the group consisting of polyglycols, synthetic hydrocarbons, alkyl aromatics, dibasic acid esters, polyol esters, phosphate esters or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24 wherein said metal is selected from lithium or calcium. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 24 wherein the hydroxy-containing soap thickener is at least 15% by weight of the total thickener in said grease composition. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 23 wherein the borated derivative additionally contains oxygen, sulfur and/or nitrogen or mixtures thereof is reactive with a borating agent. 
     
     
       28. A method of claim 23 wherein the borated derivative contains additionally any of the elements of the Periodic Table of the Elements, except zinc. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 24 wherein the borated organic compound is a polymeric organic borate. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 28 wherein the borated derivative additionally contains phosphorus. 
     
     
       31. A method for making grease wherein a liquid lubricant is mixed with a thickening agent, the improvement comprising adding to said grease a borated organic compound and an alkali or alkaline earth metal or amine derivative of an hydroxy-containing thickener. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 31 wherein said metal is selected from lithium or calcium. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 31 wherein the borated derivative additionally contains oxygen sulfur and/or nitrogen as mixtures thereof which is reactive with a borating agent. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 31 wherein the borated derivative contains additionally any of the Periodic Table of the Elements, except zinc. 
     
     
       35. A method of claim 31 wherein the borated organic compound is a polymeric organic borate. 
     
     
       36. An improved grease composition comprising a major proportion of a lubricating component and: (a) a borated derivative of an organic compound containing an hydroxyl, epoxide, thiol or nitrogen moiety which is reactive with a borating agent, and   (b) a hydroxy-containing or polyhydroxy- containing soap thickener; said borated organic compound and said hydroxy-containing thickener each being present in an amount sufficient to increase the dropping point over the dropping point of a grease without said borated organic compound.   
     
     
       37. A method for elevating the dropping point of a grease composition comprising incorporating into said grease product a borated derivative of an organic compound containing an hydroxyl, epoxide, thiol and/or nitrogen and a hydroxy-containing or polyhydroxy-containing soap thickener. 
     
     
       38. An improved grease composition comprising a major proportion of a lubricating component and: (a) a borated derivative of an organic compound containing an hydroxyl, epoxide, thiol or nitrogen moiety which is reactive with a borating agent, and   (b) a hydroxy-containing or polyhydroxy- containing soap thickener; said borated organic compound and said hydroxy-containing thickener each being present in an amount sufficient to increase the dropping point over the dropping point of a grease without said borated organic compound.   
     
     
       39. A method for elevating the dropping point of a grease composition comprising incorporating into said grease product an organic compound containing an hydroxyl, thiol and/or nitrogen and a hydroxy-containing or polyhydroxy-containing soap thickener.